Christmas-tree stand



Sept, 18, 1928.

H. G. RICE CHRISTMAS TREE STAND Filed Sept. 17, 1926 wnuum Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

UNITED STATES HAROLD G. RICE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CHRISTMAS-TREE STAND.

Application led September 17, 1926. Serial No. 136,040.

The invention relates to improvements in Christmas tree stands, its principal objects being to provide a stand having means associated therewith to supply water to the tree to prevent the latter from drying out too rapidly; to provide improved means for locating the bottom of the tree stem; to provide improved means for bracing the upper part of the tree stem and for adjustably cena tering same so that it will stand in a vertlcal position; to provide a Christmas tree stand arranged to be folded or collapsed for shipping purposes; to provide au all metal construction of ornamental appearance; to provide a construction of simpre design and economical to manufacture and in general, to

provide an improved Christmas tree stand of the character referred to.

In the drawing accompanying this ap- .0 plicationand illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention,-

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the stand 1n its operative position; 2 n

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig.

5 1, and t Fig. 3 is a plan view of the stand with the upper. ring detached and the legs collapsed or folded.

Refering to the drawings, it will be seen that the Christmas tree stand comprises, as its main elements, a plurality, in this case 3, legs or braces 10, a base member 11 and an upper supporting ring 12. The base 11 which is connected to the lower ends of the 1.1 arms serves to support and position the bottom of the tree stem 13 while the ring 12 which is connected to the upper ends of the brace arms or legs 10 is provided with means for supporting and centering an upper por- .u tion of said tree stem 13.

A cup 14 of considerably greater diameter than the diameter of the lower end of the stem 13 serves as a container for a supply of water, the purpose of which in maintaining l the tree in a green condition and preventing r`its drying out will be readily understood. j Describing now the base portion of the stand, it will be observed that the cup 14 is in the shape of an inverted truncated cone. r.) On the underside of the base 15 of the cone 14 there is secured by means of a rivet 16, the base plate 11, said base plate 11 being formed with a set of three horizontally extending, outwardly projecting coplanar lugs Instead of using a rivet of ordinary construction, the rivet 16 is made with a long pointed extension 18 which projects vertically and upwardly and is adapted to enter the base end of the Christmas tree trunk E' or stem as well shown in Fig. 2. Said point or spike 18 can be readily driven into the grain of the wood and when so engaged with the tree serves to prevent all lateral move- Ilrent of the stem relative to the base plate The legs 10 of the device are formed of strap metal bent to form ornamental scrolls 19 and 20 as indicatd in Fig. 2. To the bottom scroll 20, at a point slightly spaced from the floor line 21, there is riveted an inwardly projecting horizontal strap metal arm or tie 22, the inner end of which is perforated to accommodate the rather loose fitting rivet 23 which also passes through an aperture in the lug 17 thus constituting a pivot or hinged connection between said lug 17 and the tie 22. Said hinges 23 allow the arms 10 to be folded or collapsed for shipping purposes as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawing without the necessity of disassembling thc parts of the device other than the upper supporting ri-ng 12 previously referred to.

For the purpose of permitting -the device to be collapsed as just described, the upper supporting ring or annulus 12 which comprises a circle of strap metal, is secured to the upper ends of the arms 10 by means of removable round head screws 24. In order to accommodate trees having stems of various diameters and also to permit of a certain range of movement of the stem in centering or plumbing the tree, I prefer to make said ring 12 of substantial diameter and in order to position the stem centrally in said ring I employ a set of three clamping or centering screws 25. Preferably said centering screws 25 are equipped with wing heads 26 to facilitate manual adjustment thereof.

The use of the thumb screws 25 overcomes one of the principal diliiculties heretofore experienced in properly supporting Christ mas trees in truly vertical position.

The details of construction shown herein being merely illustrative of a selected embodiment of my invention, the scope of the same should be determined by reference to the appended claims, said claims being construcd as broadly as possible consistent with the state of the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device for maintaining a Christmas tree in vertical position, the combination of a water cup provided vwith means for positioning the bottom of the tree against lateral movement and a plurality of folding leg members having lower inner'extensions hingedly connected to the periphery of said cup and having upper extensions for bracing an upper portion of said stem, said hinges comprising axially vertical pivots.

2. In a device for maintaining a Christmas tree in vertical position, the combination of a ,base plate provided with horizontal outwardly extending parts, an upwardly projecting spike secured in said base plate for engaging the base of the tree stem, and a plurality of strap metal folding leg members independently hinged to said parts, having floor engaging portions and also having upper extensions for bracing an upper portion of the stem, said hinges comprising axially vertical pivots.

3. In a device for maintaining a Christmas tree in vertical position, the combination of a base plate provided wit-h horizontal outwardly extending parts, means on said base plate for locating the base of the tree stein supported on said base plate, a' 1urality of strap metal folding leg mem rs /hingedly connected to said parts having floor engaging portions and also having upper extensions, and an upper ring member for surrounding the upper portion of the tree stem, detachably connected to said upper extensions and provided with adjustable means for supporting and centering the saidupper stem portion, said hinges comprising axially vertical pivots. l

HAROLD G. RICE. 

